Under Armour, Inc.

At a Glance

Industry

Retail and Apparel

Project Types

Goals/Targets, Supply Chain, Sustainability and Energy Management Strategy

Year

2024

Location

Baltimore, MD

Summary

Emily's comprehensive, three-phased approach provided Under Armour (UA) strategic recommendations to advance biodiversity commitments, enhance water efficiency, and reduce Scope 3 emissions, providing a fulsome competitor landscape, assessing Under Armour's current practices, and identifying gaps.

Goals

UA is refining its nature and water sustainability goals to align with evolving industry standards and best practices. As the global apparel and footwear industry accelerates toward comprehensive mandatory sustainability reporting, Under Armour is assessing its value chain risks and impacts. To stay ahead of emerging biodiversity regulations, more accurately quantify water use and develop associated water policies, and enhance its understanding of emissions from customer product use, Under Armour has engaged Emily Purcell to conduct a comprehensive landscape analysis and benchmarking of 17 peer organizations. This strategic initiative will lay the foundation for Under Armour to strengthen its sustainability efforts, mitigate risk, and comply with existing and emerging regulations.

Solutions

Emily applied a three-phase approach to tackle the challenge: 1. Biodiversity Regulatory and Framework Analysis: Emily conducted a comprehensive biodiversity regulation and sustainability framework analysis and compared rates of framework adoption across 17 peer organizations. This resulted in actionable recommendations for UA to lead in nature and biodiversity commitments, in line with the regulatory landscape. 2. Water Peer Rating Index and Target Methodology: Emily created a peer water rating index incorporating metrics from leading water frameworks, including strategy, risk, policy, and quantification standards, to benchmark UA's performance against industry leaders. She further reviewed peer impact reports and policies, recommending an optimal structure for UA's water methodology to align with best practices. 3. Solutions for Reducing Customer Product Use Emissions: Emily conducted an in-depth analysis, including consultations with circularity and Scope 3 emissions experts, peer benchmarking, and collaborations with internal technical teams. This led to concrete recommendations for UA to reduce emissions from customer product care, positioning the company to meet its Scope 3 reduction goals.

Potential Impact

Through detailed corporate, peer, and industry analysis, Emily provided actionable recommendations for UA to drive significant environmental impact. By aligning with global biodiversity frameworks and proactively addressing emerging regulations, UA will be positioned to mitigate risk and comply with existing and emerging regulations. The water peer rating index and associated recommendations will support transparency and help UA become more aligned with efforts reported by its peers. Additionally, by advancing circularity and energy-efficient product care, UA can curtail product-related emissions, supporting its broader carbon reduction goals. Collectively, these initiatives will strengthen sustainability efforts enhance brand reputation, and foster UA's alignment with innovative sustainability practices.

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